Wyclef Vows To Continue Haiti Aid Effort Despite Ruling

Wyclef Jean has issued a statement regarding his attempt to run for the President of Haiti, which was denied by officials in the country yesterday.

The rapper's name was not on the list of candidates who will run in the November 28th election to replace the country's current president, Rene Preval.

"It is with a heavy heart that I tell you today that the board of elections in Haiti has disqualified me from my run for the presidency of the country," Wyclef Jean said in a statement. "Though I disagree with the ruling, I respectfully accept the committee's final decision."

At issue for Wyclef Jean, 40, was his citizenship. The rapper/actor claimed he was eligible because he maintained dual residencies in Haiti and Saddle River, New Jersey.

Haiti's provisional electoral council ruled that he was not eligible to hold the country's highest office, because he did not meet the five-year residency requirement.

The rapper was one of 34 candidates scrutinized by the council, which only approved 19 candidates.

Despite the disappointment, the rapper vowed to continue his work to improve the conditions on the Caribbean nation, which was devastated by a 7.0 earthquake, which killed over 300,000 people and left millions of others displaced.

"There is no one who can tell me to stop my work in Haiti and there is no one who could," Wyclef continued. "I think of my daughter, Angelina, and it makes me want to redouble my efforts to help give all the children in Haiti better days."